March 12, 2003

NTN RECEIVES "RESOURCE RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY & SYSTEM" INCENTIVE AWARD

NTN Corporation received the "Incentive Award" in "Resource Recycling Technology & System" from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for developing a "Grinding Swarf Briquetting Technology and Briquette Recycling System".

This is the 28th year that these "Resource Recycling Technology & System" awards have been made. The "Incentive Award" however was newly established this year as an award for contributing to the creation and growth of highly original businesses and systems. This award is intended to promote and spread the use of superior technology to contribute to the reduction of industrial waste as well as its reuse and recycling. It is an extremely great honor since it reflects the contributions made by NTN Corporation towards resolving environmental problems.

Grinding swarf has been disposed of until now by burying it at industrial waste sites. However, NTN Corporation developed a way to completely recycle grinding swarf to alleviate the load it places on the environment, and at the same time reduce cost. NTN accomplished this by developing technology to solidify the grinding swarf that comes out in the bearing production process. Based on the knowledge acquired while developing this briquetting technology, a proprietary grinding swarf briquetter was developed in a joint effort with the Noritake Co., Ltd and Nicotec Co. Ltd.. In May of last year, a subsidiary called Unitop Corporation was also established for manufacture and sales of grinding swarf briquetters and for introduction of purchasers of briquettes.

In this unique system, the grinding swarf is separated into solids and fluids by a compression process, with the metallic elements recycled for use in steel manufacturing material while the grinding coolant is filtered for reuse in grinding processes. Grinding swarf comes in many forms and contains large quantities of highly viscous grinding coolant in wool-like, fine metal particles. Ignoring these characteristics and trying to dry the swarf simply by applying pressure will only spray out a watery mix of grinding waste and fluid and make material that is hard to solidify. However this newly developed device using an AC servomotor as the drive source, makes it easy to set ideal solidification conditions to match the properties of all types of grinding swarf. This not only stabilizes the briquetting process but is also a big step towards achieving zero pollution emissions.

[GRINDING SWARF BRIQUETTER]

1. Great Features

(1) Compact: Only 1/3rd the size of regular machine! (Super compact version takes up only 70% of the installation space needed by the compact type)

(2) Needs no additives such as hardeners for solidifying the waste

(3) Forms tough-to-solidify oil-based sludge into handy briquettes (can also handle water-soluble items!)

2. Briquetter Delivers Big Advantages!

(1) Lower Costs Since Oil-based Grinding Coolant is Reusable
- Recovery rate of more than 90%!
- Cost savings: 100,000 yen per ton (NTN estimate)

(2) Less Industrial Waste!
- Reduces volume by up to 80% and weight by 45%!

(3) Lower Costs of Industrial Waste Disposal!
- Big cut in cost of transporting and burying industrial waste since the briquetter makes drastic cuts in size and quantity of waste that needs handling.